Electrical generator and distributer for medical use.



PATENTE'D MAR. 1C, 190C. E. L. MADDEN. ELECTRICAL GENERATOR AND DISTRIEUTER ECR MEDICAL USE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1902.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Vea

No. 722,598. PATBNTBD MAR. 1o, 190s. E. L.v MADDBN.

ELECTRICAL GENERATOR AND DISTRIBUTER FOR MEDICAL USE.

A APPLIGATION FILED FEB. a. 1902. No MODEL. Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE.

EDWIN LYMAN M-ADDEN, OF KANAWHA, IOWA.

ELECTRICAL GENERATOR AND DISTRIBUTER FOR MEDICAL USE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 722,598, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filed February 3, 1902. Serial No. 92,393. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWIN LYMAN MADDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kanawha, in the county of Hancock and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Generators and Distributers for Medical Use; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art lto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an electric generator and distributer for medical treatment.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable, convenient, and efficient apparatus for relieving human distress and suffering incident to impaired circulation of the vital fluids and the low degree of temperature occasioned thereby in diseased portions of the body that affect the general health.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character wherein the strength of the current may be regulated as desired and the generating element conveniently supported on the person outside the inner garments and concealed from view by the outer garments, the current being conducted to the body through conductors passed through said inner garments.

With these and other objects in View, which will readily appear as the nature of the in vention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, defined in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric generator and distributer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section through the belt, showing one of the electrodes and the connection of the conductor therewith. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the battery, showing the lid thrown open to expose the interior construction. Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section through the battery and its sack or holder.

of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a detail side View of the needle and the connecting eye or socket. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the same, illustrating the manner in which the needle is disengaged Fig. 5 is a section online 5 5 from the eye or socket. Fig. 8 is afragmentary plan view of one of the zinc plates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a belt 0r band adapted to be applied about the body of the wearer at the desired point and provided with a buckle 2 or other suitable form of fastening for securing it in position. This belt carries a series of positive electrodes 3 and a series of negative electrodes 3', which are adapted to come in direct contact with the surface of the body and which preferably consist of metallic plates, each having clips 4 to take over the edges of the belt and detachably secure the electrode thereto. The

positive electrodes 3 are electrically connected by and with an insulated positive conducting-wire 5, and the negative electrodes 3 are similarly connected by the insulated negative conducting-wire 5.

The wires 5 5' are provided at their free ends with pins or needles 6, which are provided with bent ends 7 to engage sockets or eyes 8, carried by the positive and negative battery-wires 9 9. Each of these sockets has a body portion formed with a keeper 10, adapted to receive the stem of the needle to hold the bent end of the needle seated in said l socket.

In connecting the needle with the socket the bent end 7 is first inserted within the socket and then turned and bent to take under the keeper 1 0, the resilient action of the needle-stem serving to hold it confined within said keeper. In detaching the needle the stem of the needle is bent down below the plane of the keeper and the needle then swung outwardly therefrom, when the bent end Y7 may be readily removed from the socket. This construction provides a simple and secure fastening for the ends of the wires. In practice after the belt is adjusted about Vthe body With the electrodes in direct contact with the bodysurface the ,needles are passed to the exterior through the undergarments and connected with the sockets 8.

The battery-Wires 9 9l lead from a galvanic battery 11 and are connected to the terminals 12 12', mounted upon the battery-head 13, which is composed of non-conducting material, the terminal 12 also being electrically ICO connected with the battery cell or casing 14, which is made of copper. The said cell or casing 14 is in the form of a shallow rectangular box,having ahinged lid or cover 15,which is held closed by a spring-catch 16. Within the casin g are arranged the battery elements, comprising the copper plates 17 and zinc plates 18, which are alternately arranged in parallel relation, the zinc plates being inclosed each in a sheathing or covering 19 of felt or other suitable bibulous or pervious material. The uppermost zinc plate is electrically connected with the terminal 12', through the medium of a pivoted metallic tongue 20, which enters a slot 21 in the felt sheathing and contacts with the plate. As the plates fit snugly in the cell, the reason for pivoting the tongue will be apparent. In applying the tongue and coacting zinc plate the tongue is swung outward and inserted in the slit and then the plate is swung inward with the tongue. In disconnecting these parts the plate is sw ung outwardly and then withdrawn from disengagement with the tongue. As shown and described, the terminal 12 is electrically connected with the casing and copper plates and the terminal 12 with the upper zinc plate, while the electrolyte or exciting liquid with which the pervious sheathes are saturated acts upon the plates of the pile in the usual way. The zinc plates are electrically connected in series by a rod 18,which is passed through slots 19 in said plates and is provided at its upper end with a head 182 to rest upon the upper zinc plate. The slots 19' are of V form and open through one side of the plates near one end thereof, and in assembling the parts the rod is iirst fitted in the slot of the upper zinc plate and the latter engaged with the tongue 21 and swung into the casing, as previously described, and then the copper plates and remaining zinc plates are inserted alternately in the cell, the slots in the zinc plates allowing them to be inserted edgewise in such manner that when said plates are inserted the rod will itwithin and Contact with the walls of the slots, thus connecting the zinc plates in series throughout the pile. The copper plates are in contact at one end with the copper cell, which is connected to the terminal 12,while the zinc plates are connected through the rod 18 and tongue 21 to the terminal 12', the two sets of plates being acted upon by the exciting liquid saturating the bibulous material, whereby a galvanic electric current is produced and a complete cireuit is established for the supply of the current to the body appliances in the wellknown way.-

It will be seen from the foregoing construction that the copper and zinc plates are readily removable from the casing and are interchan geable,so that they may be easily cleaned to remove sediment and prevent permanent polarization. Any desired number of the plates may be used, according to the strength of current desired, and fillers 22 are provided to fill the vacent space in the cell and to hold the plates pressed together. These fillers are preferably formed with beveled edges 23 to exert a wedging action and apply the necessary'pressure to exclude air-spaces from between the plates.

The battery is adapted to be placed within a bag or holder 24, made of rubber or some other suitable waterproof material and which is worn between the inner and outer garments and supported from the shoulders by suitable straps 25. When the belt and battery are applied in the manner described, a current of electricity from the battery is caused to pass through that portion of the body that i intervenes between the negative'and positive electrodes,thus stimulating the circulation and nerve force of the patient that is subjected to such treatment.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my improved electric generator and distributer will be readily apparent without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacricing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a battery consisting of a cell or casing, generating-plates removably fitted therein, and filling-strips adapted to occupy any vacancies in the cell, and press the plates together, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a belt or band carrying electrodes adapted to be applied to the portion of the body to be treated, an electric generator,means for supporting the generator on the person outside the undergarment covering the said body portion to be treated, conducting-wires for connecting the generator and electrodes, and fastening devices for connecting the wires, said devices comprising pins adapted to be passedthrough the intervening garment and having right-angularly bent ends, and sockets to receive the pins, each socket being adapted to receive the bent end ot a pin and having a keeper to receive IIO the stein of the pin, whereby the pin is adapt- :f

ed to swing in the socket and to be sprung into and out ot' engagement with the keeper, substantially as specitied.

3. In a device of the character described,a belt, electrode-plates having hooked edges to take over the edge of the belt, a generator, and suitable conductors between the electrodes and generator, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, a battery comprising a metallic casin g having a cover and a non-conducting head, terminals mounted upon the head, one of them being electrically connected with the casin g, copper and zinc plates arranged alternately in parallel relation in the casing With the ends of the copper plates in contact With the casing, sheaths of pervious material inclosing the zinc plates and adapted to be saturated with an electrolyte,llers for occupying any vacancies in the cell and pressing the plates together, and means for connecting the terminal unconnected with the casing to a zinc plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device of the character described, a battery consisting of a cell or casing, generating-plates removably fitted therein, and

EDWIN LYMAN MADDEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. BEARDSLEE, NELs. M. LINDAHL. 

